The Redemption of the King. Vince McKee

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СКАЧАТЬ Cavaliers were expected to compete fiercely for a playoff spot that 2005–06 season.

      Larry Hughes tasted success early in his basketball career when he was playing for Christian Brothers College High School, leading his teammates in a winning effort for the Missouri state championship in 1997. From high school, Hughes went to play only one season of college basketball at Saint Louis University. He performed well in his one and only college season, averaging 20.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.16 steals. He was St. Louis University’s best player and led the Billikens to the NCAA tournament that year, making it to the second round of 32 teams after a win over the University of Mass­achusetts before getting knocked out of the competition. It was still a strong showing for the smaller school. He was named Freshman of the Year and had some pre-draft hype as he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first-round pick of the 1998 NBA draft. The main reason the Cavaliers wanted to sign him in free agency was that he was known for being a versatile and athletic guard with strong defensive abilities—the perfect fit for Mike Brown’s system.

      As Hughes bounced around from team to team in the NBA because of his inconsistent offense, it was his defense that kept him in starting lineups. He was selected to the 2004–05 NBA All-Defensive First Team as a member of the Washington Wizards, where he led the league in steals per game with an average of 2.89. Many were surprised, however, when Hughes signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers as a free agent in the summer of 2005. Many feel that it was a clear sign of desperation as they searched for veteran help of any kind for LeBron, and after Ray Allen and Michael Redd both passed, Hughes was the next best remaining free agent out there. He did average 16.2 points and 37.6 minutes per game. Hughes was generally seen as a nice guy by many reporters in the local Cleveland media upon his arrival, and later on he received the inaugural Austin Carr Good Guy Award, which recognizes the Cavaliers player who is most cooperative with and understanding of the media, the community, and the public.

      Unlike Hughes, Damon Jones was an undrafted free agent after playing three years in college with the University of Houston Cougars. Before arriving in Cleveland, he had never played with the same team for more than one season. He was coming off the best season of his career with the Miami Heat, where he set career highs in games started, minutes played, field goals made and attempted, field goal percentage, three-point field goals made and attempted, three-point field goal percentage, free throws made and attempted, rebounds, steals, blocked shots, and points scored. His 225 three-point field goals was third best in the NBA, and his three-point field goal percentage was fifth best that season. He also scored in double figures on 48 occasions. The main attraction of bringing in Jones was his playoff experience playing with Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, as he had played in 15 playoff games, averaging 12.1 points and 4 assists, and shot 42.9 percent from the three-point range. Jones decided to leave Miami and signed a four-year contract for $16.1 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers on September 8, 2005. Sadly for Damon Jones and the Cavaliers, many in the local media and fans alike saw his time in Cleveland as a failure. Roda would often refer to him as “Amon Ones,” with no D and no J, meaning that Jones couldn’t shoot or play defense. Many others felt the same way as Roda.

      The new coach and key free-agent pickups worked well for the team, as they brought a 31–21 record into the All-Star Game and were clearly one of the league’s most improved teams. LeBron took his place as one of the best players in the game: He won the Most Valuable Player award in the All-Star Game, scoring 29 points with 6 assists and becoming the youngest player to ever win the award. He also led the Eastern Conference to a double-digit come-from-behind victory. The Cavaliers remained hot under LeBron’s incredible playing and went on another nine-game winning streak before the season ended. The team finished with 50 wins for the first time in years, and LeBron was about to enter the NBA playoffs for the first time with one of the hottest teams in basketball by his side. It was an incredible turnaround for a franchise that had only won 17 games just three years prior. Coach Brown had brought the Cavaliers to the playoffs in his first season as coach, and it looked as though general manager Danny Ferry was making all the right moves with his young team led by the league’s best and brightest rising superstar.

      The Cavaliers’ first-round playoff opponents were the Washing­ton Wizards, led by a trio of superstars: Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, and Caron Butler. The Wizards were the fifth seed and seen as a sharp first challenge for the LeBron-led Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron was coming off his best season as a pro, and many wondered how he would handle the pressure of his first playoff series. The 21-year-old LeBron ended all doubts in game one, scoring 32 points with 11 assists and 11 rebounds en route to a triple-double. The wunderkind’s terrific effort was more than enough to lead the Cavaliers to a 97–86 victory. LeBron was later quoted after the game as saying, “It’s a God-given talent. I don’t know how the box score will end up at the end of the game. I just try to go out there and play my game.” This quote showed that LeBron was a team player focused on doing whatever he could to help the team win and not focus on his own statistics.

      The “big three” of Washington were too much for Cleveland to handle—they dropped game two 89–84 to even up the series. Game three took place in Washington, and LeBron again displayed a masterful performance. The Cleveland Cavaliers trailed all game but used an incredible 14-point fourth quarter effort from LeBron to come from behind and win 97–96. LeBron scored 41 total points and hit the game-winning shot with 5.7 seconds remaining in the game. It was apparent not only to Cleveland but also to the basketball world that LeBron was quickly becoming unstoppable. Coach Brown summed it up perfectly when he said, “LeBron James is special.” It was short but extremely accurate.

      LeBron followed his stellar game-three effort with another impressive performance in game four by scoring 38 points. It wasn’t enough, however: He didn’t get much help from his teammates, and the Wizards won 106–96, once again tying the series.

      Game five returned the series to Cleveland. The dramatic back-and-forth series was quickly becoming a classic, and this game did not disappoint. The game remained tied after four hard-fought quarters. As overtime began, the fans in attendance at the Quicken Loans Arena could sense another dramatic conclusion. Gilbert Arenas made two pressure-packed foul shots to put the Wizards ahead with only 3.9 seconds left in overtime. Mike Brown called time-out, and the Cavaliers drew up the final play. LeBron received the inbound pass and cut to the hole with enough time to lay in a game-winning shot over Washington defender Michael Ruffin. It was LeBron’s second game winner of the series, capped off with a 45-point performance. Cavaliers fans and basketball fans worldwide began to realize they were witnessing something truly special.

      Game six returned to Washington with the Cavaliers on the brink of advancing to the next round of the playoffs. This game, just like game five, went into overtime. Washington had led throughout the majority of the game, and the Cavaliers used a strong second half to force overtime. Anderson Varejão had double-digit rebounds, Hughes chipped in with 12 assists, and LeBron had 35 points, but the key points came from backup shooting guard Damon Jones. With 4.8 seconds left in overtime and the Cavaliers down one, Jones’ jump shot put the Cavaliers into the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Detroit Pistons. It was a huge win for the Cleveland Cavaliers and another magical moment in a classic series.

      Few people outside of Cleveland gave the Cavaliers any chance at defeating the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. Through the first two games it looked like the skeptics were correct, as the Pistons handled the Cavaliers with ease, winning both games held at the Palace of Auburn Hills. With the series returning to Cleveland for game three, the Cavaliers were desperate for a victory—and that’s just what they got. LeBron had another triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to push Cleveland back into the series. LeBron was proving to be a clutch player when they needed him the most.

      For the second straight game, the Cavaliers were without a starting shooting guard because Hughes was mourning the loss of his brother, Justin, who had passed away earlier in the week. The Cavaliers played hard for their teammate, using a gritty defensive effort to beat the Pistons 74–72 and even the series. The team used Hughes’s СКАЧАТЬ